BRIEF HISTORY OF A BASKETBALL

Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr James Naismith, a Canadian of Scottish descent at

Springfield College Massachusetts. The college was the International YMCA Training
School and the game was invented to provide an Indoor activity for trainee YMCA leaders. When
the game was first played, peach baskets were nailed up at each end of the gymnasium as
“goals”, hence the origin of the name “basketball”. The first set of rules was
published and distributed through the YMCA movement in 1892 and this resulted in the game
spreading rapidly throughout Canada and the USA. 1892 also saw the game played in
England for the first time at Birkenhead YMCA after the Club President was the game played
whilst on a business trip to Canada. In 1893 the game was introduced into the Physical
Training College in Hampstead (now Dartford College of PE) by Madame Berman Osterberg.
Changes to the game to suit the girls led to the first rules of netball being published in 1901. By
1898 a professional league was established in the USA and by 1911 basketball had spread
throughout the UK as a sport. In 1924 it was introduced as a demonstration sport at the
Paris Olympic Games and Great Britain won the title. 1927 saw Abe Saperstein a Londoner from
the world- famous Harlem Globetrotters and in 1931 FIBA theInternational Basketball
Federation was formed with a Welshman as its first secretary. The England Basketball
Association was formed in 1936, 13 years before the NBA was formed in America, and by
1957 the English Schools Basketball Association was formed. The 1970’s saw the
introduction of both men’s and when throwing a chest pass, the players should strive to
throw it to the receiver's chest level. Passes that go low to high or high to low are difficult to catch.
BOUNCE PASS
The bounce pass is thrown with the same motion however it is aimed at the floor. It should be
thrown far enough out that the ball bounces waist high to the receiver. Some say try to throw it ¾
of the way to the receiver, and that may be a good reference point to start, but each
player has to experiment how far to throw it so it bounces to the receiver properly. Putting a
proper and consistent backspin on thepass will make the distance easier to judge.
OVERHEAD PASS
The overhead pass is often used as an outlet pass. Bring the ball directly above your forehead
with both hands on the side of the ball and follow through. Aim for the teammate’s chin. Some
coaches advice not bring the ball behind your head, because it can get stolen and it takes a split-
second longer to throw the pass.
WRAP AROUND PASS
Step around the defense with your non-pivot foot. Pass the ball with one hand (outside hand). It
can be used as an air or a bounce pass. You will often see the wrap-around, air pass on the
perimeter and the wrap-around, bounce pass to make an entry into the post.
4. TYPES OF DRIBBLING AND THEIR DEFINITIONS
HIGH BOUNCE
The high dribble is used when you are trying to move the ball up the court very quickly.
Typically, you will see high dribbles after steals and during fast-break opportunities. To
execute a high dribble, keep you torso erect and push the top of the ball forward, well ahead of
your body. The bounce of the ball should reach anywhere from between your upper thigh to
slightly above your waist.
CHANGE OF PACE
A change of pace dribble is used to cause your defender to lose his balance as you move the ball
forward with a high dribble. The change of pace occurs when you slow your
momentum moving the ball forward and relax your torso. The defender, thinking you are
slowing down, goes back on his heels. You rapidly accelerate past him.
CROSSOVER
If your defender is making a strong attempt to prevent you from going right or left, using a
crossover dribble can be effective. For example, if your defender is trying to prevent you from
going to your right, you would perform a crossover dribble to your left. To do so, flick the ball
across your body from your right hand to your left hand, while simultaneously moving your right
foot across your body to your left. It is important to keep your body low; your dribble should be no
higher than your knees. Accelerate past your defender by pushing off with your left foot.
BETWEEN THE LEGS
The between the legs dribble is used to go past a defender who is overplaying you. If you are
going left, begin with rapid low dribbles with your right hand. Take a deep step forward with your
left foot and flick the ball through your legs to your left hand. Keep your body low as you move
forward to your left. This makes use of a head-shoulder fake combination with an abrupt change of
pace. This is normally used to divert the defender from close guard.
5. BASIC TYPES OF SHOOTING AND THEIR MEANING
JUMP SHOT
The jumper is used most frequently for mid- to long-range shots, including three-point attempts,
although you can use it from short range to gain separation from a defender. Jump straight up and
use the basic shooting form. Release the ball at the peak of your jump.
SET SHOT/FREE THROWS
The two-handed set shot was once the common way to shoot from the perimeter. Today it’s
typically only used by young players who lack the strength to shoot with one hand. A free throw,
however, is basically a type of set shot, although it’s almost always performed with one hand. Use
the standard shooting form, but don’t jump.
LAYUP
You’ll typically shoot layups from very close range after dribbling to the basket, or
taking a pass near the hoop. Typical layup form involves grasping the ball with two hands,
raising it in front of your face and banking it off the backboard, which all occurs
while you’re in motion. A putback of a missed shot is also technically a layup. If you can jump
well enough you may also raise the ball as high as possible and flip it straight through the rim.
POST SHOTS
Centers and power forwards who typically operate near the basket often use short shots. A turn-
around jumper begins with your back to the basket. You then jump away from the hoop while
leaning back and simultaneously pivoting about 180 degrees to face the basket before you shoot.
For a hook shot, stride into the lane with your back to the hoop while keeping your torso
between the basket and the ball. Turn your non-shooting shoulder toward the hoop, jump,
raise the ball straight up and flip your wrist to take the shot.
DUNK
The dunk, basketball’s most spectacular shot, relies more on jumping ability than shooting
skill. If you can jump high enough, and hands large enough to control the ball, leap, lift the
ball above the rim and push or throw it through the net.
6. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT USED IN BASKETBALL
Basketball court
Basket
Basketball ball
Backboard and Rim
Scoreboard
Shot Clock
7. RULES, REGULATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY USED IN
BASKETBALL
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
A basketball team can have a maximum of five players on the court.
Player substitutions can be made at any time and there is no restriction on the number of
substitutions made.
A ball can travel through dribbling or passing.
A player is no longer able to dribble with the ball once the player puts two hands on the ball. This
does not include catching. At this point, a player must either pass or shoot.
If a team wins possession back in their own half, they have ten seconds to get it into their
opponent's end or a foul will be called.
Brick - A poor shot that bounces hard off the rim or backboard.
Carry the Ball - similar to traveling. When a basketball player moves with the ball without properly
dribbling it.
Charging - an offensive foul which occurs when an offensive basketball player runs
into a defender who has established position.
Chest Pass - the basketball is passed directly from the passer's chest to the receiver's
chest. This has the advantage that it takes the least time to complete, as the passer tries to
pass as directly straight as possible.
Court - the area bounded by 2 side-lines and 2 end lines containing a basket at each end, in
which a basketball game is played.
Defense - the act of preventing the offense from scoring; the basketball team without
the ball.
Double Team - when two basketball teammates join efforts in guarding a single
opponent.
Dribbling - the act of bouncing the basketball continuously.
Dunk - when a player close to the basket jumps and strongly throws the ball down into it.
End Line - the boundary line behind each basket; also called the baseline.
Fast Break - a basketball play that begins with a defensive rebound by a player who
immediately sends an outlet pass toward midcourt to his waiting teammates; these
teammates can sprint to their basket and quickly shoot before enough opponents catch up to stop
them.
Field Goal - when the basketball enters the basket from above during play; worth 2 points,
or 3 points if the shooter was standing behind the 3-point line.
Forwards - the two basketball players on the team that are responsible for rebounding and
scoring close up to the basket. They are usually taller than the guards.
Foul Lane - the painted area bordered by the end line and the foul line, outside which
players must stand during a free-throw; also, the area an offensive basketball player
cannot spend more than 3-seconds at a time in.
Foul Line - the line 15' from the backboard and parallel to the end line from which
basketball players shoot free-throws.
Guards - the two basketball players who usually handle setting up plays and passing to
teammates closer to the basket.
Jump Ball - Two opposing basketball players jump for a basketball an official toss above and
between them.
Layup - a close up shot taken after dribbling to the basket.
Offense - the team with possession of the basketball.
Personal Foul - contact between basketball players that may result in injury or provide one team
with an unfair advantage; players may not push, hold, trip, hack, elbow, restrain or charge
into an opponent.
Rebound - when a basketball player grabs a ball that is coming off the rim or backboard after a
shot attempt; see offensive rebound and defensive rebound.
Screen - when the offensive basketball player stands between a teammate and a
defender to give his teammate the chance to take an open shot.
Shot Clock - a clock that limits the time a team with the basketball has to shoot it to a given
amount of time.
Traveling - when the ball handler takes too many steps without dribbling; also called walking.
awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then he is awarded another free throw.
Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the fouled player
receives two free throws.
CHARGING.
An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a defensive player. The ball
is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

BLOCKING.
Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing position in time to
prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.
FLAGRANT FOUL.
Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and punching. This type of foul
results in free throws plus the offense retaining possession of the ball after the free throws.
INTENTIONAL FOUL.
When a player makes physical contact with another player with no reasonable effort to steal the
ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.
TECHNICAL FOUL.
Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It does not involve player contact
or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the game. Foul language, obscenity,
obscene gestures, and even arguing can be considered a technical foul, as can technical details
regarding filling in the scorebook improperly or dunking during warm-ups.
9. OFFICIALS, TABLE OFFICIALS, COMMISSIONERS; AND
THEIR DUTIES AND POWERS
The officials shall be a referee and one (1) or two (2) umpire(s). They shall be
assisted by the table officials and by a commissioner, if present.
The table officials shall be a scorer, an assistant scorer, a timer and a twenty-four (24) second
clock operator.
The commissioner shall sit between the scorer and the timer. His primary duty during the game is
to supervise the work of the table officials and to assist the referee and umpire(s) in the smooth
functioning of the game.
 The officials of a given game should not be connected in any way with their team on the playing
court.
The officials, the table officials and the commissioner shall conduct the game accordance with
these rules and have no authority to change them.
The officials’ uniform shall consist of an official’s shirt, long black trousers, black socks and black
basketball shoes.
The officials and table officials shall be uniformly dressed.
REFEREE: DUTIES AND POWERS
The referee shall:
Inspect and approve all equipment to be used during the game.
Designate the official game clock, twenty-four (24) second clock, and stopwatch and recognize
the table officials.
Select a game ball from at least two (2) used balls provided by the home team. Should neither of
these balls be suitable as the game ball, he may select the best quality ball available.
Have the power to make decisions on any point not specifically covered by these
rules.
OFFICIALS: DUTIES AND POWERS
The officials shall have the power to make decisions or infractions of the rules
committed either within or outside the boundary line including the scorer’s table, the
team benches and the areas immediately behind the lines.
The officials shall blow their whistles when an infraction of the rules occurs, a period ends
or the officials find it necessary to stop the game. The officials shall not blow their whistles
after a successful field goal, a successful free throw or when the ball becomes live.
When deciding on a personal contact or violation, the officials shall, in each instance,
have regard to and weigh the following fundamental principles:
The spirit and intent of the rules and the need to uphold the integrity of the game.
Consistency in application of the concept of advantage/disadvantage ‟. The officials
should not seek to interrupt the flow of the game if necessarily in order to penalize incidental
personal contact which does not give the player responsible an advantage norplace his
opponent at a disadvantage.
Consistency in the application of common sense to each game, bearing in mind the
abilities of the players concerned and their attitude and conduct during the game.
Consistency in the maintenance of a balance between game control and game flow, having
a „feeling‟ for what the participants are trying to do and calling what is right for the game.
• Should a protest be filed by one of the teams, the referee (commissioner, if
present) shall, within one (1) hour following the end of playing time, report the protest to the
organizing body of the competition.
• If an official is injured or for any other reason cannot continue to perform his duties within
five (5) minutes of the incident, the game shall be resumed. The remaining
official(s) will officiate alone until the end of the game, unless there is possibility of
replacing the injured official with a qualified substitute official. After consulting with
the commissioner, if present, the other official will decide upon the possible replacement.
• For all international games, if verbal communication is necessary to make a
decision clear, it shall be conducted in English language.
• Each official has the power to make decisions within the limits of his duties, but has no authority
to disregard or question decisions made by the order official(s).
• Decisions made by the officials are final and cannot be contested or disregarded.
OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER AND ASSISTANT SCORER
• The scorer shall be provided with a score sheet and shall keep a record of:
–Teams, by entering the names and numbers of the players who are to start the game
and all of substitutes who enter the game. When there is an infraction of the rules regarding the
five (5) players to start the game, substitutions or numbers of players, he shall notify the nearest
official as soon as possible.